


He's a Shark

by absinthefae



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 13:47:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5166038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/absinthefae/pseuds/absinthefae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Also posted on my deviantart (absinthe-fae)</p></blockquote>





	1. Shark and Guppy

He was a shark. Everyone around the school knew it, and there seemed to be never ending tales of what he would do. How he would swear at the teachers, how he would string a girl along until he had taken a bite from her, only to let her go with a shrug.  
You were just a guppy, you went along with your life with everyone else. You went to class, stayed out of trouble, tried to keep up with the trends. Yet, for whatever reason, you found yourself attracted to the eldest Ampora boy.  
You sat at the diner alone, sitting by the windows and sipping a strawberry shake while you read your book, kicking your legs as you flipped through the pages of Lolita. It was a new book, originally published in France in 1955 but had finally made it all the way to the states 4 years later. You were so immersed in the text, your brain working on some of the more complicated verses, that you didn’t even notice the door open with a jingle.  
He must have recognized you from school, that was your only reasoning as the boy with greased back hair approached you. He read a bit of your book from over your shoulder before turning your stool around, “Yowvza baby, didn’t knowv you wvere into dirty rags.” He said with a snicker.  
You blushed and narrowed your eyes, glancing away, “Go away Cronus…” You muttered. He never gave you the time of day in school, why was he suddenly interested?  
“Wvhat was that?” He said as he lifted your chin, making you look at him. You kept your lips sealed. You heard the rumors, anything you said could be twisted around. “I got wvays of openin’ those lips, kitten.” He said, as he placed his hand on the counter behind you.  
You looked at him curiously, about to ask what he meant when he leaned forward, his free hand against the back of your head as he kissed you. You gasped slightly, and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside. Although his personality was so abrasive, the kiss was so tender, you almost couldn’t help but lean into it. He backed away with a grin, the slightest string of saliva stretching from his lips to yours.  
“Next time get chocolate, I don’t like strawvberry.” He said, licking his lips with a wink before walking back out of the diner. It seemed he had come in with the sole purpose of messing with you, and you were furious that you had let him so easily.

At school the next day you kept your head down, desperately trying to stay out of his line of sight. The last thing you wanted was for him to approach you and confuse you even more. When you weren’t in class, you hid in the library. You were positive he wouldn’t go in there. Hidden amongst the volumes of books, many older than you were, you felt safe and protected. The further back you went, the dustier the books got, as though no one had gone back there in a very long time.  
The bell rang but you remained, you’d rather wait til the school emptied out to go home. That way the chances of seeing him were even less. Truth was, he scared you in the best way possible. He was a hungry hungry shark, and though you liked him you didn’t want to be used and tossed away, eaten and your bones spat out for the world to see.  
You leaned against the brick wall, flipping through the pages of one of Fitzgerald’s works, when the book was plucked from your hands and tossed onto the floor. “You been avwoidin’ me?” Cronus asked as he caged you in with his arms. He was angry, it was obvious. It seemed as though he had been looking for you all day.  
You were silent for a moment before realizing where you were. You were surrounded by the wisdom and strength of hundreds of years of history and imagination. And you let it fuel you. “So what if I have?”  
“Wvhy?”  
“Because I don’t feel like getting messed with.” He simply raised an eyebrow at you and you continued, “I don’t want to be sweet talked into playing back seat bingo and left in the dust. I’m not some fast girl you can play with and toss.” You said as you looked at him defiantly.  
“Wvhat if I’m bein’ serious? Wvhat if I think you’re pretty hip?”  
“...Then prove it.” You said quietly.  
“Take you on some dates?” He chuckled and grinned.  
“Something like that.” You said with a shrug.  
He was silent for a minute before kissing you quickly and grabbing your hand, dragging you from the library to his vivid purple hot rod.  
“What the...where are we going?”  
“You wvanted a date, you got one dolly.” He said as he opened the door for you. “It’s a surprise, just sit back.” He said with a grin, putting a cigarette in his mouth and lighting it.  
As he drove down the streets the sun got lower and lower in the sky until it was just haze along the horizon. You had no idea where you were going, and he didn’t volunteer any information to it.  
Finally, you pulled up to a large patch of grass upon a great hill that overlooked the city. In the darkness you could see the hundreds of brilliant multicolored lights. You could see the shopping mall and the neon lighting of the diners and restaurants that dotted your town. He killed the engine and scooted closer to you, looping an arm around your shoulders. You waited for him to try and make a move, to grope or invade your personal space. He simply leaned back in his seat, tossing the lightly smoldering cigarette butt onto the ground.  
The silence was deafening for a moment before you decided to talk. You told him about yourself, and he seemed to be genuinely listening. You told him about how your childhood was fairly normal, about your parents jobs, what you liked to do for fun, and how, although you adored your friends, sometimes they could annoy you like no other.  
He nodded in response, asking you questions when he needed clarification or to get more detail from you. And you couldn’t help but smile, because he seemed to be taking an interest in you. And in return he told you about him.  
His father fought in the second world war in the navy, and how often it was just him and his little brother Eridan at home. He told you how he liked to tinker around with cars but most of all he liked music, both listening and playing. His role model was Frank Sinatra, and he wanted to be as big as the Rat Pack one day.  
As he spoke you leaned into him, enjoying his words. You enjoyed listening to him and hearing his dreams. “I think that’s a very great dream, Cronus.” You said quietly to him. You didn’t need to speak up, he was close enough to hear your quietest whisper.  
“Hey Doll…” He said, cradling your cheek. You looked up at him and he leaned forward, kissing you once again. Your eyes closed and your arms linked around his neck. He nipped at your lip and you didn’t hesitate in opening your mouth. You were surprised at how much you wanted to taste him again. His hands moved down, tracing your form, before slipping up your skirt. You paused and pulled away slightly.  
“Cronus, I…”  
“I’m not gonna do anythin’.” He muttered before taking your lips captive once more. He ran his hands along your thighs, but true to his words didn’t touch you like that.  
Your kisses had begun to grow sloppy as your lips grew swollen and numb and he pulled away with a snicker, kissing your cheek before sitting back in the driver’s seat properly. “I should getcha home, kitten.” He said. You nodded and he started the car, keeping his hand on your leg.  
It was only when he dropped you off and drove off with a wave did you realize that you really did want him to touch you, to kiss you and feel you until you felt yourself ignite inside.

The weekend came and your parents, furious with you for not coming home until late and not telling you where you were or who you were with, forbade you from leaving. They gave you strict rules when they left Saturday afternoon, you weren’t to leave the house or call your friends or even so much as turn on the television. You accepted this all with a nod, after all it was worth it for what you experienced. You waved goodbye, and they said they would see you Sunday, around noon.  
It was late when you heard a knock on the door. You walked down and peered through the peephole, already in a set of baby doll pajamas, and were surprised to see it was Cronus. You opened the door and looked at him curiously, “What are you doing here?”  
“Wvhat, I can’t come and see my best girl?” He asked before looking you over. He walked inside and closed the door behind him. “And it seems she wvanted to see me too.” He said with a smirk before lightly kissing your lips and moving to your neck.  
“Hey, hey you can’t be here. You got me in trouble.” You said, biting back the groan that formed in your throat.  
“I didn’t see a car in your drivwewvay.” He murmured, pulling you close against him. You blushed as you felt your chest press flat against his.  
You hesitated before taking his hands and walking up the stairs to your room, opening the door and leading him inside. You let go and you saw him pause, looking around before walking up to you, “God could you be more adorable?” He asked, sitting back on your bed.  
You blushed and sat down next to him. “Quiet,” You said, embarrassed.  
“Make me.”


	2. A Killer Date

“Make me.” 

Those were the words that hung between you heavily in the air, you recalled as you lay in your warm bed with the covers to your shoulders. The sun peeked in through your window and you opened your eyes, shocked for a second to see the boy who infuriated you, yet opened up to you, and even attempted to rescue you from your grounding. You tried to move, but found you were pressed tightly against him, caged within his arms. And you liked it that way. Your hips felt sore, and you were positive that speckled bruises and bites littered your neck and chest. He certainly was a shark.  
His resting face showed a vulnerability not ordinarily seen. When he was out, he had a look of arrogance, like he was better than everyone and knew it. But now, he simply looked like a boy, the sweet and lovelorn boy you knew he really was inside. You leaned up and tenderly kissed him awake, and the moment his eyes opened the innocence melted away, just slightly. He leaned into you and kissed you firmly, rolling until he hovered over you once more. You giggled as he kissed your neck and ear, trailing his tongue along your reddened skin.  
After a few more kisses he was up, scavenging his clothes from your room while tossing you what was left of your pajamas.  
“You ripped it!” You said as you held up your babydoll top, one of the straps torn away from the chest.  
“Wvhat can I say, doll?” He replied with a chuckle. “Take it as a compliment.” He winked as he pulled his shirt on over his head. He held his jacket for a second before tossing it toward you, letting it land on the wrinkled blankets. “I wvant you to hang onto that. Wvear it around school and shit. Let those doornails knowv you’re mine.”  
You took the jacket in your hands and felt the leather, the silver buttons on the cuffs and the zipper. You blushed and nodded, “Okay.” You couldn’t help but grin. You were jacketed, specifically by Cronus.  
He had to have kissed you another dozen or so times as you walked him to the front door, wrapped up in his jacket and your panties. That was one of the things you adored him, that he seemed to give affection as much as he craved it. “Do you wvant me to get you tomorrowv?”  
“Since when do you show up to school on time?” You said teasingly.  
He thought it over for a second before nodding, “Good point. I’ll see you there.” He said before giving you a final kiss, one that lifted you off your feet and left you absolutely breathless when he let go and gave you a wave before speeding away.

You were restless as you waited for Monday to come, doing anything you could to make the time pass faster. You cleaned up your room, and then the rest of the house. Laundry was washing away and the house was spotless by the time your parents came back home.  
You finished your homework and wolfed down your dinner before hurrying up to bed, his jacket hanging just inside your closet. You triple checked that your alarm clock was set, and tossed and turned before finally falling asleep. Who could blame you for being excited? You had a boyfriend, and he wasn’t like any of the old ones you had. Despite the gruff exterior he seemed to really care.

Leather. Leather and musk and aftershave were what you smelled on your walk to school with the too long sleeves pushed up so your hands could peek out. It wasn’t until you donned it that you noticed just how many gangs there were in town. Before you seemed to fly right under the radar, not noticed by anyone. Now it felt as though all eyes were on you. Some glanced at you with a nod, noticing a fellow member’s jacket and giving you the same respect they gave him. Others raised a brow and scowled, angry that the enemy’s colors were being flaunted right in front of them.  
Your friends looked at you curiously as you met them on your walk to school, but at the very least you looked happy, thrilled even, so they let it drop. They hadn’t seen you that happy in quite a long time, it was best to let it last as long as they could. After all, you had heard the rumors about the shark, who were they to stop you from being bitten.

It wasn’t until lunchtime, when you were sitting on a bench reading a book for English, that you felt him sit down next to you and nearly pull you into his lap. “Mornin’ kitten.” He nearly purred into your ear before kissing your cheek.  
“Morning? It’s after noon.” You grumbled slightly before letting yourself be taken over by his affection.  
“Isn’t that wvhat you’re supposed to say wvhen you wvake up?” He said with a chuckle before setting his head on your shoulder, looking at what you were reading.  
“...Hey Cronus?” You said after a moment of silence.  
“Hm?”  
“People have been looking at me weird, why?”  
He just shrugged, “Probably the jacket. People either dig the bluer blooded guys or can’t stand ‘em.”  
“So...if I wear this am I gonna get laid out?”  
His eyes went dark and his grip on you tightened. He turned you around so you could look at him directly, and you were shocked to see this side of him. “If anythin’ happens to you, I swvear to god I’ll fuckin’ kill wvhoever did it. You tell me if anythin’ happens, alright?” He nearly growled to you.  
You nodded quickly in response. This version of Cronus scared you, this one was all business in a line you didn’t want to be a part of. He looked to the side after he loosened his grip and looped an arm around your shoulder, lighting a cigarette and exhaling a puff of smoke. You didn’t know what to say, so you didn’t say anything. You just scooted closer and wrapped your arms around him in a hug, lightly pecking his lips until he smiled again. You would do anything to see that smile.

 

A few weeks passed and you wore the jacket every time you left the house. It was like a security blanket. When you wore it, you knew nothing bad could happen. At least that’s what you thought. It was dark and you were hurrying home when you were approached by a boy. He seemed fairly young and scared, and asked you if you would stay with him until his parents came because he was scared. His face was so pained, the tears threatening to spill over in his eyes, that you couldn’t help but say you would. You would explain it when you got home, you were just trying to be a good neighbor.  
After nearly a half hour a car pulled up, with cloudy windows and a deep red paint job. He hopped up and dragged you by your too long sleeve, saying it was his ride and that his parents would want to thank you. The back door opened and the boy, who seemed so weak, pushed you in as though you were a simple sack of groceries. He got in next to you and closed the door and it locked, telling the men in front to drive, and make it fast!  
The warehouse was by the sea, you could smell it in the air even as your eyes were covered as you were led inside and sat down in a corner. One of the shorter of the men, one with yellowed eyes and a very loud speaking voice, was put in charge of guarding you. If you tried anything, everyone would know.  
You held the jacket close around your form. The sides of the warehouse were cold from the ocean spray, you could feel yourself shaking, from the chill and from fear. You didn’t know these men, and you didn’t want to. You just wanted to go home, and at this point you weren’t even sure if you were going to make it out alive.  
You had begun to doze off when you heard the screech of breaking tires and the slam of car doors. There were shouts and a murmur of conversation amongst the men who stood alongside you within the warehouse. Someone, it sounded like a group, had arrived. And you couldn’t tell if that was good or bad.  
“You better stay the fuck here or I swear to god you will be sorry.” The man said, turning around and crouching down to you. He gnashed his teeth before turning around and striding outside, taking a knife from the pocket of his jacket. You covered your mouth with your hands and bit down on your lip. If you didn’t you were positive you would have screamed. Even with the calamity outside, someone would have heard it. But you had a feeling if you did your tongue would be cut out before the scream was over.  
“Wvhere the fuck is she?!” You heard a familiar voice shout outside.  
“Cronus?” You questioned softly, sitting up in your spot.  
“I swvear to fuckin’ god I wvill kill you if you don’t tell me.”

When the door to the warehouse opened again, there was silence, save for the footsteps over wet gravel. The figure at the door hurried toward you. His white shirt was speckled with red and he wiped his bloodied hands on his jeans before embracing you tightly, “I wvas so fuckin’ wvorried.” He whispered as he held you, and it seemed as though not even he knew that he spoke.  
“What...happened?” You asked him as he pulled away, just enough to look at your face and brush hair away so he could see you fully.  
“Those red fuckers got you. Did they do anything?” He asked urgently, looking you over to see if you had been abused, seeing if your skirt had been wrinkled from handling.  
“No, no.” You took his hands and looked at him, “I was just scared is all.”  
“You don’t havwe to be scared anymore, they aren’t gonna be messin’ wvith anybody nowv.” He said before helping you stand, and once you discovered that your legs and feet were asleep, picking you up. “Close your eyes wvhen wve get outside. There’s nothin’ out there you’re gonna wvanna see.” He said as he approached the door.  
You closed your eyes and hid your face in his neck as he walked, tightening your arms around him. He squeezed you gently in response as he carried you to his car. His footsteps sounded wet, and you heard quiet conversation amongst the others as you were carried away. You didn’t have to look to know that every single person who had been part of taking you captive had been killed.  
He put you in the car and fastened your seatbelt before getting in himself. It wasn’t until you were a couple of miles away before he said you could open your eyes.  
“Where are we going?” You asked when you saw him drive past the road that would take you to your neighborhood.  
“You’ll see.” He said, reaching over and taking your hand. Although he grinned as he responded to you, it was grim. So much blood spilt, so messy.  
He parked at the top of the hill, right where he had taken you on your first date. When he killed the engine he pulled you back into your arms, as though to assure himself that you were there, that you had gotten out of it alive. “I dunno wvhat I wvould’vwe done if somethin’ happened to you. I wvould’ve gone crazy, I...I love you.” He said quietly, lightly shaking his head.  
Your heart jumped but you wasted no time in returning his words, stroking his cheek gently and clearing a speck of blood away from his face. “I love you so much.” You said to him as you leaned against his body, you could feel him still panting.  
He turned your chin and kissed you firmly, laying you down across the front two seats and covering you. His hands roved everywhere as he kissed you fiercely with teeth and tongue and not so gentle nips at your lip. He needed to feel you, to touch you, to ground himself again. To feel like a person and not like some mindless machine who acted purely on instinct.  
He repeated those three words ten, twenty times, before the kisses became gentle once more and he was the Cronus you knew and loved.  
You both sat up and adjusted your clothes back to their correct positions when the sun had begun to peek over the edge of the horizon, filling the sky with a dull blue that grew in ferocity by the minute.  
He looked over at you, with messy hair and swollen lips and torn buttons on your blouse, and grinned, “Howv’s breakfast sound?”


	3. Goodbye and Hello

When the purple car pulled up outside of your house, you saw your parents looking through the window. They must have been worried sick! You had been missing since school, and yet here you were, comfortably full of a greasy diner breakfast and riding in the white leather passenger seat of your boyfriend’s car. He leaned over and kissed you firmly before you got out of the car, slowly walking to the door backwards, watching him watch you as you went back to the house. You lifted your hand in a wave and he winked before lighting up a cigarette and speeding out of your neighborhood.  
Once you were in the house you were bombarded with countless questions, rightfully so. Where were you? Who was he? Why in the hell was he covered in blood?!  
“Mom, Dad, I’m sorry...I was walking home and some creeps grabbed me. Cronus saved me though, he helped me get away. He’s not a bad guy!” You tried your best to defend him. But you could tell from the looks on their face that they had made up their minds. They didn’t want you to see him anymore. After all, if it wasn’t for the jacket you wore day in and out, you wouldn’t have been put in danger in the first place.

You had asked him to meet you in the special spot the two of you shared, the one that overlooked the whole town and made you feel like you could finally breathe freely. He pulled up with a cheeky grin, like always, and was shocked to see you standing there, eyes red and puffy.  
“Wvhat happened? Did something go dowvn again?!” He nearly jumped from the car and held you by the shoulders.  
“No, no…listen Cronus...my parents say I can’t see you anymore.” You said quietly, voice nearly a whisper.  
He stared at you, hands loosening on your arms. “Wvhat?”  
“I don’t want to. I love you Cronus, but they’re just so worried. After what happened with those gang guys, they’re scared I’ll get hurt again.”  
“I can make sure you don’t get hurt, doll. I promise you wvon’t…” You saw him get frantic, he didn’t want to lose you, not when he tried so hard to protect you. “Please don’t do this.” He mumbled and pulled you into a tight hug, fingers curled tight against your back. “Baby please…” He said, more to himself than you.  
You shook your head. “I’m sorry…” You took the jacket off of your shoulders and pushed it against him, wiping your eyes. He seemed shocked as you hurried away, walking down the winding dirt path to the bus stop bench, blinded by your tears.

It was a few days before you heard the tap of a pebble on your window. You sat up in your bed and rubbed your eyes, looking at the clock on your table. It was almost 1 a.m. You just shrugged and began to lay down when you heard it again. You got out of bed and crept toward the window, tentatively looking out the curtains. Cronus stood on the ground below, leaning against the door of his car with a handful of rocks. “What the…” You opened the window and leaned out, speaking only as loudly as you dared. “Cronus? What are you doing?”  
“I wvanted to see you.” He said with a shrug, letting the rocks fall back to the ground. You hadn’t seen him much at all since you broke up with him, and the memory of his face still weighed heavy on your heart.  
“Why? You know I can’t see you.”  
“‘Cause I lovwe you baby, is that so wvrong?” He hopped over the fence that surrounded your yard and began to climb up the brick on the outside of your house. When he made it up to your window he hopped inside, sitting down on the sill. “You’re still my best gal.” He said softly with a slight smile.  
“You’re not supposed to be here…” You said quietly, looking all around the room, anywhere but at him.  
“Tell me to leavwe and I wvill. Until then I’m stayin’ right here.”  
You tentatively looked up at him, looking at his hopeful face. And then you were in his arms, hugging him tightly to you. You didn’t want him to leave, never again. You inhaled his aroma of sea salt and cologne and hair gel, all fresh. He had dolled himself up just to see you. “Fuck I lovwe you.” He said into your hair.   
“I love you too…” You needed him, god above you needed him. You hadn’t even realized that your heart was aching as much as it did until it stopped and you didn’t feel sick anymore. You felt perfectly whole right there, against him.  
“Come with me.” He said quietly.  
“What?”  
“I want you to come with me. Run awvay, go out to one of the big cities. I can play music, wve can get by.” He brushed your sleep mussed hair away from your hair and crouched down on his knees. “I don’t wvanna livwe another day wvithout you by my side.”  
You glanced at the room around you, the one you had grown up in. But you were nearly an adult, you could make your own decisions. With a smile, you nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”  
He grinned wide and picked you up in a hug that lifted you off your feet.  
He gave you time to pack, and you ran downstairs and out the door, tossing your bag into the back and getting into the seat next to his, where you belonged. The tires skidded against the ground before going forward. His arm was around your shoulders as he drove, the sky dark and dotted with stars. Not even the moon was out. But it didn’t matter, because it couldn’t compare to the brightness you felt inside.


	4. Pulled Apart

The wind rushed through your hair as the car sped through the countryside. You were headed for what was Hollywoodland not too long ago, the land of glitz and glamour and where anyone with a dream could make a life. You hummed along with the radio as you sipped at a glass bottle of Coke, the fizzy liquid cooling you down as you were assaulted with the hot air through the open window. In the back was your bags and his and an acoustic guitar, in his wallet his life savings. You were excited, beyond excited! It was as though your life was finally starting. You felt like the protagonist in one of your favorite novels, being carried away by a valiant rogue to start a life where you were in control, not your parents.  
“Darlin’ wvhen I hit it big wve’re gonna be livwin’ the high life, I guarantee it!” He said with a great big smile, the one he knew you loved. The smile melted away when he looked into the rearview window, “Fuck!” He groaned, slamming his fist against the steering wheel and pulling over. He took a deep breath and smoothed back his hair as the police officer got out of the car and approached the pair of you. “Lemme handle this dollie.” He said quietly to you.

Those were the last words you heard from him as the officer carted you back to his car, placing you in the back seat. It wasn’t long before you were discovered missing and your parents called the police. It was only because of your previous disappearance that they were out looking for you so soon. You stared through the glass as he was bent over the side of his car and searched. And you stared as the officer got back into the car and began the drive back to your home. He watched you and stood still as you were carried away, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. The last thing you saw was a curl of smoke that formed above his head in the distance before he was gone, too far away too see.  
When you returned home to your infuriated parents, you didn’t have time to unpack your belongings before being sent to live with your aunt across the country. They figured you couldn’t run off to see him if he didn’t know where you were.

The ride to the airport with your father was deathly quiet, he barely looked at you let alone spoke a word. He couldn’t believe that you, his own daughter, would disobey him like that. You had barely told a lie before, and yet here you were running off with a boy you had known for a little over a month! He walked you to the gate in the stoic silence, only leaving you alone long enough to go buy himself a coffee.  
When he sat back down next to you he sighed, “Honey, I want you to know this is for your own good.”  
You were quiet in response, hands in your lap and eyes focused on the floor.  
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair and continued after taking a drink, “Your mother and I just want you to be safe and happy. I know you think you want this boy now, but you’re still young and can change your mind a million times. That’s what youth lets you do. I don’t want you to wake up one day and realize you made a mistake and have no way to get out of it. Do you understand?” He set a hand on your knee and looked at you, worry shining in his eyes.  
You nodded slightly. Normally you figured he would be right, but Cronus was what you wanted. You were certain down to your very marrow that you wanted to be with him for the rest of your life, that you loved him the way he loved you. And now, you would probably never see him again.  
“What happened to him?” Your voice was soft but clear.  
Your father sighed, but it was only fair if you knew. “Well, he’s in a bit of trouble. After all, he’s an adult and you’re only 17. It could be ruled as a kidnapping.”  
“I went willingly!” You burst out with flaming cheeks. “He didn’t make me do anything!”  
“Darling, you may be mistaken. Boys like that are very persuasive.” His tone was calming, as though he thought you were crazy and was trying to calm you down before you made a scene.  
“I know I’m not. He told me if I didn’t want to see him anymore he’d go away.”  
An attendant announced that your flight was starting to board and you stood up, grabbing your bag.  
“This is going to be good for you, you’ll forget all about this mess.” Your father pulled you into a hug and you stood stiffly, only barely allowing his touch. “I’ll call your aunt soon, okay? We’ll come and visit for the holidays. We’ll have a grand old time.” He said with a grin.  
“Bye Daddy.” You said, turning and walking to the door, walking to your fate. You didn’t look back.


	5. Reunited (Original Ending)

The 60’s were coming upon the world as you stepped back into your hometown, 5 years later. You looked around the city square, seeing new trendy stores where old ones once stood. The shops advertised all sorts of new fashions in swanky patterns, the dress you wore now was covered in swirling loops in pastel shades with the occasional pop of brightness, a belt around your middle to accentuate your waist. You hummed as you walked, recognizing old faces as well as seeing new ones. It was all so familiar to you, yet the little surprises kept you on your toes. You wondered who was still in town after graduation, who had moved on to bigger cities with their sweethearts.  
As you wandered through this wonderland you couldn’t help but wonder if you would see him. If he would remember you if he did. Back when you lived with your Aunt and Uncle, you had gotten a boyfriend or two, but any feelings you had for them dwindled in comparison to how you felt towards Cronus, even now. Any trace of leather made you turn your head, but each time you were sadly mistaken, it was only another gang member, or the mark of the arrival of leather pants.   
The evening hours were just starting to come when you stepped into the diner you frequented what seemed like so long ago. You ordered a chocolate shake and sat down by the window, people watching as you sipped and nibbled at the cherry atop the cloud of fluffy cream. You stirred the chocolate swirled concoction with the silver spoon when you stopped, letting the silverware drop to the countertop. Across the street, walking alone with that lone cigarette smoldering away between his lips, was him. Your heart lept into your throat as you abandoned your glass and hurried to the sidewalk, calling out his name.  
His eyes, focused on his shoes instead of where he was going, jerked up at the sound of your voice. He was crazy, he had to be. Why would his mind torture him like this again? When you shouted for him again he turned and saw you waving your arms from across the busy street. Your hair was a bit longer and your face a fraction narrower, but he was positive it was you.  
He took off, sprinting across the busy road and sliding over the hoods of idling cars, not stopping until he stood before you, panting. He looked just as you remembered him, except slightly more cleaned up. His hair was just a tad longer, but still slicked back. He still wore leather and you could see the box of cigarettes in his jacket pocket. “Doll face..?” He said quietly, his voice slightly hoarse. He walked forward to close the gap between you, lightly touching your face with his hands, to make sure you were real.  
“Hi Cronus.” You said, lightly resting your hands over his own. You grinned up at him and your eyes gleamed with happy tears. “I missed you.”  
“Fuck I missed you too.” He said before kissing you fiercely. The embrace truly took your breath away but in that moment being so close to him felt more necessary than breathing did. He rested his forehead against yours when the kiss ended, eyes closed but arms firmly around your waist. The apathetic curve of his mouth turned into that signature grin you knew by heart and he picked you up and tossed you over his shoulder with a chuckle. “Come on darlin’ I knowv a place wve can go to catch up.”

You knew where you were going before you actually got there. That beautiful peak that was full of memories both jubilating and melancholy. The view was different than it once was. What was once just dots of neon signs were now shimmering stars from all sorts of buildings, crooning cafes and restaurants and swanky clubs. You leaned against him as you both sat on the grass, hands overlapped.  
You told him about living at your Aunt and Uncle’s place, how you finished out school there and graduated, how you planned on moving back into town when you found a place to stay, how you still never quite forgave your parents for sending you away. And in exchange he filled you in on what you missed, who got hitched and who fell out, that he had a gig a few times a week that was singing in a club and worked otherwise in a body shop fixing up cars.  
“You knowv, if you need a place to stay...I havwe a fairly nice place in towvn. If you wvant.” He glanced at you from the corner of his eye.  
“I’d really love that.” You said quickly, almost too quickly and you blushed because of how eager you sounded.  
“I wvould too.” He said before turning and kissing you once more, slower and more tender, allowing the passion to grow. He hovered over you with one of your legs hooked around his waist.   
“I lovwe you so fuckin’ much.” He murmured as he moved down to your neck, quickly unbuttoning the trio of buttons down your chest.  
“I love you too.” You practically purred to him, breath hitching as he rubbed at you under your skirt. Your hands slid under his shirt and you traced your fingers over his chest. His teeth were on your ear as you heard a zipper slide down in it’s track and you felt him prod at you. He glanced at you and you nodded eagerly before your panties were pushed to the side. You felt the stretch and your hips rolled back and you couldn’t bare to suppress the sigh that left your lips. His hips met against yours and his face was buried in your neck, you could feel his hot breath on your skin and shuddered. He kissed you firmly as he moved, muttering things you weren’t sure he knew he was saying. How he loved you, wanted to be with you, how he’d rather die than see you leave him again.

You were both sweaty and disheveled as you lay next to each other, embracing under the darkening sky. It just felt so right to be with him, and you didn’t want to have to say goodbye to him ever again. “Hey Cronus?” You asked, voice quiet.  
“Hrm?”  
“Can I sleep at your place?”  
“Of fuckin’ course.” He said with a chuckle. “You think I’m lettin’ you out of my sight again? Howv am I supposed to knowv if you’re gonna be here tomorrowv mornin’?”  
You smiled and cuddled up to him, not caring if you got grass stains on your dress or the bags that resided in your parents house. Cronus was your home and he’d be damned to let anyone take you away.

When you woke up the next morning you were in an unfamiliar bed alone, the spot next to you still had lingering traces of warmth. From the bathroom you heard low singing through the sound of water hitting tile. You sat up and adjusted the oversized t shirt you borrowed from him, allowing yourself a minute to listen to him. It was a song you heard before on the radio, but it sounded so much better this way, richer. Soon you found yourself being sung to sleep by his gentle words, his crooning song all that was in your head as you drifted into dreams, happy as could be.

‘Ever since that night we've been together  
Lovers at first sight, in love forever  
It turned out so right  
For strangers in the night’


	6. A Different Life (Alternate Ending)

You stretched your legs as you got out of the car. Yet another day started and ended on the road. Tomorrow you would make it to California. Tomorrow you and Cronus could start your life together. He took your hand and the brunt of the luggage as he returned from the motel lobby, getting a room for the night. You walked under the neon lighting, up concrete stairs to a door that faced the oblong pool. Inside your bags were dropped and you sat down on the edge of the bed, the mattress sinking in slightly from your weight.  
“Tomorrowv, wve’ll be there doll face.” Cronus murmured as he crouched in front of you, taking your hands into his before leaning in, kissing you firmly. Any thoughts you had of your family, how concerned they might have been, were washed away in his embrace. His hand traced circles on your hip as you closed your eyes. When he backed away just enough so your lips were freed he grinned. “Hey, I got an idea.”  
“Hrm?” Slowly you opened your eyes back up, focusing on his own plum ones that sparkled, absolutely beamed.  
“Let’s check out the pool outside.”

You approached the water without much intention to swim. You just wanted to admire how the neon lighting looked on the surface, maybe sit on the side and dip your legs while you marveled at how good at swimming your boyfriend seemed to be. The moment you two were by the water he took a breath and dove in, staying under just long enough to worry you. You could see him swim near the bottom, swimming through as though it were second nature to walking.  
You couldn’t help but chuckle as his hair flopped into his face, freed from it’s gelled confines by the chlorine. He slicked it back with the water before pulling you in. Immediately you grew stiff and held onto him tightly. “Watch it Cronus, I can’t swim very well.”  
“Don’t wvorry, I got ya.” He said with a grin and a wink, treading water and being careful to keep you mostly above the surface until you decided you wanted sit back up on the side so he could swim to his heart’s content. From the way he was able to hold his breath to how he could glide through the water, you couldn’t help but wonder if in a past life he was a fish, and the thought of a trout with a pompadour made you chuckle.  
He stood by you as he caught his breath and you took a moment to admire the muscle that lay beneath his skin. Before you could stop yourself you reached out a finger and traced along his bicep, all the way down his arm to his wrist. He said nothing, simply let you drag your fingertips over his skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. When you were finished you held onto his hand, fingers entwined with his, and looked up at him, a bit startled to see him watching you. When your eyes met he grinned and kissed your forehead. “You’re adorable, you knowv that?”  
“Oh shut up.”  
“It’s true.” He said with a grin before kissing you once, twice, his hands on the skin that your swim suit left uncovered before getting out, wrapping one of the motel towels around his waist and taking your hand. The moon grew higher in the sky and you two had an early morning. Tomorrow was the beginning of your forever.

You sat on the bed, flipping through the few television channels your abode offered, as Cronus showered. You didn’t know what he did in there to make him take so long, but you knew it was best to get comfortable because he wouldn’t be out for quite a while. You weren’t aware that you were being watched, that an entire team of officers waited out in the parking lot. It had been nearly a week since you went missing, and the perpetrator had been found.  
Dead or alive was how the police wanted him. He was a killer, everyone knew that when the red gang had been slain in a mass killing he was behind it. Who knew just what he wanted with you, if he had offed you yet. The scope was focused on the form that slumped on the bed. The lense itself was fuzzy, through the thin curtain over the window it was even worse.  
“I think I have him sir.” One of the deputies said quietly. With a nod from the commander, the trigger was pulled.  
The sound of shattering glass startled Cronus as he stood before the mirror, combing his hair back. Even worse was the soft thud of weight hitting the carpet. He wrenched the door open and hurried out to see you curled up, a hand over your chest. You lifted your arm at just the wrong time, the bullet between your ribs and in your lung. “K-Kitten?” He asked you, cradling your face. You looked up at him and forced a grin, as though trying to pretend everything was okay.  
His heart thudded in his chest. You two were so close, so close to happiness that was meant for no one but you and him to revel in.  
He didn’t let you talk, didn’t want you to put yourself in any unnecessary pain. Deep within your mind, you found it ironic. It wasn’t the shark’s bite that killed you. Instead you had begun to drown.  
Your eyes were blank as he set your stiffened body down on the bed, away from the puddle of red that stained the carpet. You couldn’t watch as he wiped his eyes, doused his face with cold water and put his jacket over your body like a makeshift blanket. You couldn’t watch as he took his knife out from his pocket and approached the door. And you couldn’t watch as he walked outside, the blade catching the light and bullets piercing his form until he fell to his knees, head making a sick thud against the concrete.

 

You stood beneath the shelter of the bus stop, waiting for the rain to pour itself out. You had been caught in the downfall on your way back to your dorm and hurried toward the nearest shelter. You took your phone from your pocket and looked it over, making sure it hadn’t been saturated like the rest of you had. The screen illuminated and you sighed in content. All was well.  
In your haste you didn’t even notice another being occupying the space. He stood by the other entrance of the stop, a cigarette between his fingers. You weren’t even sure if he saw you, and you took advantage of the moment to look him over. He wore a leather jacket and his hair was gelled back. His entire aura screamed retro but you couldn’t help but dig it. Just looking at him made your heart throb, you weren’t quite sure why.  
He only turned to look at you when he heard the click of a lighter, you groaned as you tried to light the end of the cigarette between your lips, your lighter giving off nothing but sporadic sparks. “Shit…” You groaned, tossing it into the small waste bin attached to the bench.  
“Need a light, doll?” His words sent shivers up your spine and you turned towards him. You recognized him, though you had no idea from where. Maybe you had seen him around campus. You could even share a class with him.  
“Yeah, you mind?”  
He shook his head and approached you, hands in his pockets. You were surprised as he leaned close, pressing the burning end of his cigarette against your own until smoke began to curl from the tip and the cool tang of menthol spread over your tongue. “Thanks.” You said a little sheepishly as he stepped out of your personal space but stayed close.  
“Can I get your name, dolly?” He asked, sitting down on the bench beside you.  
Your name tumbled from your mouth without a second thought. This man was a stranger, but you couldn’t help but trust him. “What about you?”  
“Cronus.” His mouth quirked into a smile. “Y’knowv, you seem real familiar.”  
“I was just thinking that.” You were happy he felt the same way, you felt less crazy that way. Both of you spouted your class schedules and any out of school hobbies and hangouts, each word you said different to his own. Yet you both agreed that something about the other person just seemed so close, so cozy. Like home.  
He tasted like tobacco, and you did too. You only focused on each other, on hands that traced down arms and backs and through hair. Neither of you noticed as the rain finally lightened up before stopping completely, clouds rolling away to reveal a sky full of stars and a plump half moon. You never before thought you were missing something until you were here with him and the sense of overwhelming fullness overtook you. Texts went ignored for the moment because you had him and, right then, that was all you needed.  
He held your hand tight in his own as he walked you, with achingly slow footsteps, to your dorm. He spoke of himself, and you described your own life, and something deep within the both of you knew all of this information already, rediscovering it as the words were spoken aloud.  
“Can I see ya tomorrowv?” He asked as you leaned against the wall by your door. You wasted no time in nodding.  
“I’d love that.”  
He simply grinned and kissed you once more and you felt your chest swell. You bid him farewell and closed your door before slinking down to the floor, burying your face in your hands to hide your vivid blush, your thousand watt smile. Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on my deviantart (absinthe-fae)


End file.
